Firefighter William M. Durkin of Hose Co. 8 died on February 7, 1959. On December 29, 1958 he was operating the apparatus and responded to a box alarm at W. Locust St. and S. Sixth Ave. The fire was a grass fire and Hose co. 8 was not needed when they arrived. While returning to the station Firefighter Durkin was stricken ill and his coworker had to reach over and stop the apparatus. He was taken by the SFD ambulance to the Scranton State General Hospital where he died 40 days later.